Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 23 — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

8 will be alofig soon. Ah! there he comes down the street—I must slip out by the back door, as he comes in at the front.” Ada gave her visitor directions how to leave the house unseen ; and a few moments after he left, Paul entered. CHAPTER XIV. When Paul entered, Ada, as she usually did, bounded to his arms and imprinted hundreds of kisses upon his lips. He gently, but rather coldly returned her fervent caresses, and then led her back to the sofa from which she had sprung. “Sit down, dear Ada,” said he, “I want to talk to you.” “T am all ears ; go on, dear Paul,” said she, retaining his hand in hers. He eeemed at a loss what to say, for the subject that was uppermost in his mind was in embarrassing one. “Well, Paul, what is it? Why do you not tell me what you wished to say?” said Ada, smiling at his embarrassment. “T am—am very poor, Ada!” said Paul, at last, with hesitation in tone as well as manner. “And therefore quite a criminal in the eyes of the world, yet not in mine. But I am very sorry for you Paul. What can / do for you? I’m not very rich in this world’s goods, but the treasury of my affection is full and over- flow mg !” “ Ada, you are a good girl. You know that I love you!” “ Once I thought you did, Paul. But now I know you do not. You are now racking yout brain for a plausible excuse to cast me off. But you cannot find one—you cannot find one! You say that you are poor—what of that? Have I asked you for money? My love can- not be measured by bars of gold, and bars of iron cannot imprison it!” Paul trembled with emotion, but was silent. “ Why do you not reply to me, Paul ?” con- tinued Ada. ““ Come, I will give you a theme for conversation. Suppose we speak of Stella Delorme !” ‘“‘ Heavens! do you know her ?” “Ag well as I wish to! She is very pretty, Paul. Do you love her?” + No, Ada, no; as God is my judge I do not! But I am poor, and she is an heiress yy “And so you tip up the pleasure-cup of love, and fill it wit gala—bitter, indigestible gold I” ~ 9 Ada, I do not know what todo! I do love you; but you need comforts, luxuries, which, while I am penniless, I cannot give to ou! Let me marry her; let her have my band; while you retain my heart !” “Paul Malerson,” cried Ada, while her color rose, and her eyes flashed, ‘do not de- stroy all my dream! Do not change my love into hate; for your own sake do not! Do not make me despise you! Do you think that I could let you come illegally to my arms, while you are legally bound to another? No. aul Malerson, do not thus taunt and insult me!” “ Ada! Ada! I do not know what to do!” “ Be just—be just to yourself and that will be justice tome! I did not seek you out. I was content, when you found me. I ask no other lot. But in you I thought that I had found a young, pure, fresh heart, untainted by the corrupting atmosphere of the world! loved you, hid away, and kept myself aloof from the world for your sake. And this—this is my reward! arewell — Paul Malerson, FAREWELL !” And as she spoke, she drew a dagger from her bosom and raised it above her breast. Her cheek was ghastly pale—she was breath- leas, and every nerve was iced into firmness— a moment more, and that bright steel had opened Death’s pathway to her heart. But Paul caught her hand ere it descended, wrest- ed the dagger away, and threw it through the window beyond her reach. “ Ada—Ada, would you destroy yourself?” he cried. “ Yes, soul and body!” she gasped, and sunk fainting into his arms. “ This is love—I cannot give her up!” he muttered, as he laid her gently down upon the eofa, and hastened to call her maid to aid in her recovery. : CHAPTER XV. Two weeks are, when counted off into hours by the tongue of Joy, but brief, very ata Pre The New York Library. otief breaths of Time! Yet, ii .engtnened | “OQ Mr. Delorme, you cruelly wrong the by the sigh of sorrow, or the long-drawn moan of pain, how measureless and unending do they seem. For two weeks had Lagona dwelt beneath the roof of Varian Delorme. And during this time, the distrusiful planter had tried, by many, and even by harsh and eruel means, to test. the sincerity of the young Comanche’s professed desire to learn the arts and ways o the pale-faces. He had sent him to the fields with his hoe in his hand. And Lagona went aud did what he had never done before—worked! He had made him perform many 4 menial service ; and though the throbbing heart of the proud young chief almost broke from ita bonds, he yersevered, bowed his head, and obeyed! He 1ad endeavored to throw him alone into the company of Stella,.while he kept a secret watch upon him, to see if Lagona did not, in deed, intend to try to carry her off. But though the young ehief trembled when he heard her voice, he would not raise his eyes to look upon her; though fearless of a thous- and foes, he seemed afraid, even of himself, when in her presence. But another peril to an unsophisticated heart was in that house for him. Mrs. De- lorme—-as I believe I have elaewhere said—was, for her age, a very beautiful sma attractive woman ; and her art and knowleage of the world rendered her capable of turning every point to advantage. From the teu when he came to the plantation, Mm. Delorme had been madly infatuated with hin ; ec much so, that she could hardly avoid attracting the ob- servation of others. But Lagona did not ap- pear to heed her attentions. She made him many presents, but he carelessly threw them aside ; and when she spoke to him, only an- swered in a sietieliabla and turned away. This very indifference only seemed to fan the flame which burned in her heart. But if Lagona was really aware of her preference, he made not the slightest recognition of the fact— a matter which much pleased Stella, who, from the moment when Mrs. Delorme had ex- pressed her admiration of the young chief's erson, had noticed her conduct, and observed er evident partiality towards him. And though no tell-tale, yet the honor of her father was too closely held in her heart, for her not to feel anxious that it should not be stained by imprudence, not to say guilt, on the part of her step-mother. It was night, about the time stated in the opening of this chapter, and Lagona, who had been kept at work all day, was seated near Mrs. Delorme, who was asking him many questions regarding his tribe—their habits and manner éf living. These questions, although by no means pane to the taciturn chief, were answered briefly and respectfully a orl ona, As he spoke of his mountain home. rightened with silvery cascades and glitter- ing streams—rendered beautiful with flowers and mosses, and grand with grey rocks and dark, green pines, his eye flashed like that of the eagle im its native sky ; and he seemed once more a tameless monarch there. “‘Q, how I should like #0 be there—to ride like the wind over hill and dale—to hunt the bounding antelope !” eried Mrs. Delorme. “No place for a squaw! Her place is over the pot, in the wigwam!” said Lagona, in a tone of quiet contempt which wonld have stung some women to the soul, but she was too much blinded by her infatuation to notice at. It is not fated for us to know what reply she would have made to this characteristic, if not gallant, speech, for one of the Mexican herdsmen, who had been belated on the poms rushed into the presence of Mr. De- orme and told him that Indians were close at hand ; so close that they had pressed his ut- most speed, and nearly succeeded in reaching the gate and entering when he did. “ What means this?” cried Mr. Delorme, turning upon Lagona. “I thought that you said while pe were here no Indians would trouble me !” “Neither the Comanche nor the Lipan will!” said Lagona. “Give me my weapons, I will go and see who these are!” “Trust you with weapons, when you may use them against myself? I am nct cuite a 8 ” dian any longer in his voice, though dressed ! “ Pale-faced father—I forgive ycu! I will go without them !” said the young chief, with a mournful hanghtiness, and he left the room. ts | | | noble fellow—I would stake my life upon his penn !” cried Mrs. Delorme. “You might, madam. I would not!” said Mr. Delorme, coolly. ‘ You will oblige me hy minding your own business !” The whole place was now in alarm. The herdsmen and blacks hurried like frightened sheep to the mansion. Mr. Mahoney, who was quite brave within walls, commenced mustering his forees in the main hall. Paul Malerson, who had returned from Galveston, had hurried to his old station, the tower over the gate, taking with him a half-dozen or more men, whom he found with arms in their hands. The yells of the foe could be heard with fearful distinctness as Mr. Delorme stepped out upon the piazza; and he had been there but a few moments, when he heard the erash- ing of battering-rams, or something of the kind, at the gate. But in a moment or two after, he heard firing there, and knew that Paul had gained his old position. He was oe- cupied a short time in seeing that the men who had hurried te the house were made ready for *etion. Then be returned to the piazza, where his terrified wife stood with Stella, listening to the sounds beyond the wall. “ Where is that cursed Indian?” he cried. “Gone, I suppose, to help his mates to butcher those whe fed him!" he added, bitterly. “ Pale-face, the cursed Indian is here!’ said Lagona. “ The men who come to attaek you are not Indians, but white men in disguise !” The sudden appearance of Lagona by his side, and the calmness with which he replied to the insulting words of Mr. Delorme, so un: nerved the latter, that for a moment he was speechless. “ How do you know they are white men ?” he asked, at last. “T have been among them ;” replied La- gona. “Js this a red man’s scalp ?” ti asked, and he shook a dripping sealp, fresh from the head of some red-haired white man, before Mr. Delorme’s face. “Tleavens! where and how did you take that ?” “From its owner, with his own knife, for you would not let me have my weapons. 1 ave been outside the wall.” : “Forgive me, Lagona, I have acted like a dog toward you,” said Mr. Delorme. “T knew you had wronged him ; Mrs. Delorme, in triumph. “We've no time for talking now—they ara many, and strong with arms. We must fight,” said Lagona. “Give me some men and we will climb the wall and take them in the back. IT’ll make them know what real In- dian is.” “ Your hae is good, and I will go with you,” said Mr. Delorme, hastening to get picked men for the duty. “Do not put your life in peril;” said Mra Delorme, in a low tone, to Lagona. “Death is the playmate of warriors and seare-crow to squaws,” said Lagona; as he went after his own arms. O Heavens, what a hero!” said the infatu- ated woman, not heeding the presence of Stella. Meanwhile, the fight at the gate had been very hot. The assailing party, with some logs which they had procured, had endeavored, repeatedly, to batter in the strong gate, led on by a desperate man, who in vain endeavored to make his voice sound like that of an In- dian. Another had been by his side at first, as bold as he. a red-faced, red-haired mar ; but in one of the first charges, and before the men in the tower had opened a steady fire, he ” eried had fallen dead, with a loud shriek, And when, a few moments after, his companions bore him back, they found, to their horror, that his heart had been pierced. and his scalp had been torn from his head. “There is some treachery among ourselves When the fight is over ri look into it; and woe to him that killed Sandy Spicer,” ahouted the leader. The fire which opened from the tower at ' first was hot, and fatal to severai of the be- siegers; but ina short time it slackened, for Pa’: had begun to get short of ammunition. “ Cut down the gate with your axes, lads,” shouted the leader, not attempting to play In- like one. “ Make a bold push, and the day is ours !” And they did so; and in a few moments would have effeeted an entrance, had not the ao Eomicboo (e iS (E(0)